How to get hired at Fort Worth Fire Department
Fort Worth hires entry-level Fire Trainees under Texas civil service rules: candidates apply during an open window, take a city written civil service exam, then pass a 1.5-mile aerobic run, a Physical Ability Test, polygraph and background, and oral interviews. Applicants must be 18-35 and need no prior EMT or fire certification; recruit school starts with about 12 weeks of EMT training, followed by state fire school. Between windows, the city takes job interest card sign-ups.
Apply / get notifiedOfficial recruitment page
Minimum requirements
- Age 18-35; must not reach 36th birthday by the entry-level exam date src
- High school diploma, GED, or 12 semester hours of college src
- Valid Class C driver's license; Class B required during training src
- Live within 30 minutes of designated report-in station within 6 months of employment src
- Pass 1.5-mile run in 13:57 or less src
Certifications
- EMT: not required
- Firefighter I/II: not required (academy provided)
Source: official page
Tests
- City civil service written exam (written): In person; veterans (5 pts) and Fort Worth residents may earn bonus points src
- Aerobic capacity run (1.5 miles) (physical): Pass/fail, max 13:57 src
- Physical Ability Test (PAT) (physical): Pass/fail, 8 timed events; practice sessions offered src
- Polygraph (other) src
- Oral interview board (oral): Typically 2-3 hours src
Hiring process
- Apply online
- Pre-screening
- Written exam
- Orientation
- Aerobic run
- PAT
- Polygraph and background
- Oral interviews
- Conditional offer
- Medical and drug screen
- Aerial ladder and SCBA evaluations
- Academy
Source: official page
Starting pay
$19.19/hr ($39,915/yr) in training; $32.58/hr ($67,757/yr) after graduation (2025 posting) src
Academy
Paid recruit school of about 28 weeks (~8 months): ~12 weeks EMT then state structure fire school src
Checked 2026-11-05 against the department's official pages (linked). Hiring windows open and close quickly; always confirm on the official site before you apply. See every academy, EMT program and test site in Texas.